This letter, written to Khan-i Khanan's son Mirza Darab, informs that to thank
Allahu ta'ala is to follow Islam.

May
Allahu ta'ala increase your energy and help you! Both reason and the Shariat
confirm that he who does favors should be thanked. The degree of the thanks is
dependent upon the amount of the blessing coming. The greater the blessing, the
greater the necessity to express gratitude. As it is seen, the rich should be
more thankful than the poor, depending on the degree of wealth. It is for this
reason that the poor ones of this Ummat will go into Paradise five hundred years
before the rich.

To thank Allahu ta'ala, it is necessary to have a belief compatible with what
the savants of Ahl as-sunnat taught. For, it is only this group who will be
saved from Hell. After correcting the belief, it is necessary to act compatibly
with the Shariat. The Shariat should be learned from the books of the mujtahids
of this group. [It should not be learned from a Mufti who is a reformer, who
knows nothing of the din, from an ignorant hafiz, or from the misguiding
writings of irreligious people, which are written in newspapers under the
pretense of praising the din in order to deceive young people.] Then the turn
comes to tasfiya and tazkiya on the way shown by great Sunnite men of tasawwuf.

There are great benefits in this third stage of thanks, though it is not
obligatory. But the first two stages are obligatory. For, these two are the
base, the essence of Islam. Islam perfects and matures an individual by means of
the third stage. Everything outside these three stages, which are the belief of
Ahl as-sunnat, the commandments of the Shariat, and the way of great men of
tasawwuf, is nothing but sinning, disobedience and ingratitude, including
troublesome mortifications and vehement struggles. Ancient Indian Brahmins and
Greek philosophers engaged in great acts of mortification. Yet, because they did
not adapt themselves to Prophets "alaihimussalam", all their practices were sins
rather than acts of thanksgiving to Allahu ta'ala.

None of them were accepted. In the next world they will not be saved from Hell.
Then, hold fast to the way of our Sayyid, of our Master, of our Savior, of our
Intercessor for the forgiveness of our sins, of our Specialist who cures our
hearts and souls, that is, of our Master Muhammad Rasulullah "sall-Allahu alaihi
wa 'ala alihi wa sallam', and to the way of his four Khalifas! His for Khalifas
"ridwanullahi ta'ala 'alaihim ajmain' are the guides to the way of salvation,
who will conduct you to happiness. Allahu ta'ala will bless those who walk on
this way.